SAN FRANCISCO - Equality
California praised a renewed effort to pass comprehensive immigration
reform that is inclusive of the Uniting American Families Act, which
would permit U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor a same-sex
partner for immigration purposes. A coalition of organizations and
leaders from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT),
immigrants' rights, civil rights and faith communities issued a joint
statement today while Members of Congress gathered on
Capitol Hill to call for passage of immigration reform legislation that
ends discrimination against LGBT binational families.

"We are grateful that this powerful coalition is standing
together to help fix our broken immigration system," said Geoff Kors,
executive director of Equality California. "California's elected leaders
have already endorsed the Uniting American Families Act, urging our
U.S. Congressional leaders to act quickly to end the grave inequities
facing binational couples and their families. We hope this vital
legislation passes soon, so that no more families headed by same-sex
couples are torn apart."

The California State Senate recently passed a resolution, AJR
15, introduced by Assembly Member Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) and
co-sponsored by Equality California and Asian Americans for Civil Rights
and Equality (AACRE), formally requesting that the United States
Congress pass and President Obama sign the Uniting American Families Act
(UAFA).

Further

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